Sleek Modern Bow Element in Inkscape and Gimp

This is a super simple element which can take many looks accorind to your taste and to the effects you apply to it!

Note- This tutorial assumes you have Inkscape and Gimp installed on your computer. It also assumes you have at least a basic understanding of both softwares. Please, see our previous tutorials, since they are quite simple for beginners.


Open Inkscape

• Choose a color you like, I chose a hot pink. Create a horizontal rectangle of the size and width you like.
• I chose rounded corners but you can leave the edge straight if you want to.
• Now click on the Arrow tool and then select your rectangle, click again. You will notice some rounded arrows have appeared, you will use those to rotate your rectangle. To rotate your rectangle, drag the corner top arrow and while holding down the space bar of your keyboard, slowly drag your rectangle around until you have formed a bow. Let go when you are pleased with what you've got.

If you are not very sure, practice rotating your rectangle before you press the spacebar. If the space baris not pressed down, the stamping function will not be active and you will not be repeating the pattern.

When you are happy with what you have, go to File, Export as Bitmap.

Fire up Gimp.

• Open your stamped bow in Gimp.
• Choose the bucket tool. Select a texture you like. I have a pea green fabric with white polka dots that is perfect for this.
• Fill the topmost rectangle with the texture you chose. Now click on the Ellipse tool. Make a narrow oval at the center of your bow.
• Go to Layer, New Layer. Click on the bucket tool. Make sure your Foreground color is Black and fill the oval with Black.
• Go to Select, Shrink, and shrink your oval by 10 pixels. Choose the gradient tool, and click on the little menu and find Golden, click
• to select it. Stroke downward with your mouse to make a golden linear gradient to fill the circle in the middle of your bow.

• Go to Select, Shink, and shrink by 20 pixels. Go to Layer, New Layer. Select the Bucket tool and fill with Black again.
• Go to Select, Shink and shrink by 15 pixels.Click on your Bucket tool again, and choose another texture and fill your new layer with the texture.
• I chose a yellow fabric with white polka dots. You can leave it as is, but I chose to go a bit further.
• Go to Script-Fu, Bevel and Emboss. Choose Outer Bevel, Dept 5, Direction: Up and leave the rest as ic. Click OK and allow Gimp to apply the special effect.
• Then go to Filters, Blur and apply a soft blur. That's it.

Play with it all you want and make your own bows!

Bible Universe, Come and See!

Cute Tag Line Button for Your Blog in Gimp

A tag line is a catchy phrase or short sentence that either describes you, your interests or what you're blog's all about. It is crucial if you have a business!

Here is how to make a cute but super easy tagline button.

This tutorial assumes that you have Gimp installed in your computer, and that you have some basic knowledge of Gimp and that you have made our previous tutorials.
Open Gimp.
Choose a file size convenient for you. Choose the Rectangle tool and make a square in a size you like. Click on the menu to give it rounded corners.
Select the bucket fill and pick a color you like. Fill the square with the color of your choice. Click on the toolbox and look for a color lighter than the color of your square. Choose the ellipse tool and make a circle that almost covers the whole square, except for the bottom corner.
Fill this circle with the lighter color and give it only a 50% transparency (choose transparency from the toolbox by moving the lever in the direction you want.)
Click on the text tool, chose the color black.
Write whatever tag line you like.
Click on the bucket tool. Fill it with a pattern of your choice by selecting pattern fill rather than a color fill.
Go to Layer, New Layer. Then go to Script-Fu and click on Bevel and Emboss.
Choose the following settings:
Style: Outer Bevel
Depth: 10
Direction: Up
Size: 5
Soften: 0
Angle: 120
Gloss Contour: Linear
Highlight Color: White
Shadow Color: Black
Shadow Opacity: 75.0
Surface Contour Linear
and leave the rest as is. Click OK.

Go to Layer, Merge Down.
Save as, Select File Type (By Extension) and save as a Png.
If you need a transparent background, open the file after you have saved it and go to Layer, Add transparency,
choose the fuzzy select tool and click on the background and holding the control key down, click X to delete the background. Save again as a PNG.


You can make a lovely presentation of what your blog is all about with a button like this one. Here is an example to give you an idea.

 Bible Universe, Come and See!